ANA/VN Question

Re: ANA/VN Question

Laura x — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:57:34 GMT

I done my ANA course but it was the first year that you no longer did maths as part of it because you didn't need it, now they changed it and you need it!!

I am doing an NVQ in business and admin and my keyskill which will give me my grades. I am nearly finished it and I started in November. I am doing it for through through ITEC and get paid at the end for doing it, my assessor comes to observe me at work.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Laura James — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 17:47:54 GMT

Personally, I would stick with what you've got - as others have said, if you go to another practice you'd probably have to wait a year before starting your VN course anyway, plus SVN places are very very hard to get!!

I've done 3 years of the VN degree and have really struggled to find a placement to do the portfolio - I even considered moving further away from home to london - over 3 hours away from all my family and with only 1 friend in the area. Fortunately I managed to get a place in a practice 20 mins from home (about a week ago) even though i started looking for a place to start this june back in january.

Plus as has already been said - the ANA course will lay the groundwork and you'll have an advantage over the other SVNs who havent done the ANA course

Re: ANA/VN Question

jan — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:37:50 GMT

The ana gives a ggod grounding in the vn course. Most SVNs find the first year VN a bit easier if they've done the ANA first. t is a nationally recognised qualification & shows you are serious. It is good for getting you back into studying if youve been away a bit. Are you happy in your present practice?

Our ANA student leapt ship part way throught for a VN place as she had to wait for our SVNs to qualify before she got the chance & is now very unhappy living away from home & studying/working away from her friends & family

Re: ANA/VN Question

Naomi Jackson RVN — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:42:43 GMT

I started working at a vets at 40 and did an animal care course first then my ANA. I am now awaiting my final results for level 3 at 45. I found the ANA course helped a great deal with my VN training so its worth while doing this. You will be able to sit math key skills and the college you enrol with should offer help and support to carrry you throught this extra work load..

Perservere! its amazing how fast time goes and any extra training is always beneficial. You will be qualified before you know it.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Maria Mahon — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:39:46 GMT

Thought I'd share my experience in this situation. Firstly, yes you do need a maths qualification; either (minimum of C grade) GCSE or level 2 in keyskills. I did the keyskills via my local Learn Direct centre, and it was free of charge to me, think it's to do with government funding? Anyway they were really helpful and I would strongly suggest looking into it that way, only took me a month that way and didn't take up too much of spare time.

Secondly, I think that there is no harm with doing the ANA course. They've offered to train you and so I would imagine that once acheived the next step would naturally to begin your VN training. Even if you do end up changing practices, it will make the 1st year of VN training so much easier (even if some things are repeated, it will only strengthen your knowledge, which can only be a good thing!?)

I started my 1st year of college 'by accident', in the case that I didn't realise I had a D not a C grade in science. I'll admit I was struggling with the A&P side, but now I am doing ANA, I'm able to make a little more sense of things, with the help of collegues and feel a lot more confident for beginning my first year again.

Hope I've not rambled too much and this helps you a little. Good luck.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Debbie Allgood — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 12:15:10 GMT

You could also consider the VCA (Veterinary Care Assistant) qualification provided by CAW. It is 100% distance learning (so no need to go into college) and same level of qualification as the ANA plus it includes Key Skills.

Well worth a look!

http://www.caw.ac.uk/vn/vnncvca.htm

Re: ANA/VN Question

JaneRVN — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:57:13 GMT

I think that as you are in a practice you like then stick with it. I did my VN training with nurses who were 40+ and have taught ANA to ladies 55 and 54!

Therefore don't let age/timescale put you off - you are in a position that many would kill for.

The ANA is a good stand alone qualification so you could move easily to another practice if you wanted at the end of it, it also really helps with NVQ2. All the students I have taught moaned loads at havign to do the extra year but then said how much easier it made NVQ2.

Finally - Key Skills is quite alot of work and none of the students I have taught thought it was easy to fit in round their first year! If you can do ANA and get Maths and English via Key Skills if you need it during that year then it is much better than doing it with all of NVQ2.

Re: ANA/VN Question

frances jones — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 21:01:50 GMT

Personally I would try for a VN position rather than accept a position as an ANA. I am a mature student (almost 28 and just coming to end of 1st year VN training) so I know how you feel when you say that you want to advance quickly. Lots of people on my VN course are doing Maths key skills so it really isn't a hassle at all whilst you're doing your first yr VN. You don't want to get half way through the ANA course and wish you were putting your efforts into the VN course. The VN course is a long 2 yr slog. I did GCSE's, A Levels and have a 2:1 degree and I'm finding it quite a chore so maybe save all your efforts for it rather than doing another course first.

That said, I don't know how old you are. If you're under 25 then you've got plenty of time to do your ANA and then move onto VN....

Re: ANA/VN Question

PHA86 — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:34:06 GMT

Thanks guys, some mixed answers there but generally confirming that it's going to be a great opportunity regardless.

I think it's always a good idea to know your options, which nobody should be judgmental about, as I've worked very hard to get where I have so far and will continue to do so.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:36:50 GMT

[quote user="sarah parrott"]

just a word of advice, i do have all the qualifications to start as an NVQ student straight away but if a practice offered me what your getting id grab it with both hands!! you need to understand that trainee positions are like gold dust so no matter how long it takes take what theyre offering any student on here would jump at the chance your very lucky to get such an offer without meeting the requirements (not meaning that bad towards you) but id stay put deffo

hope this helps!

[/quote]

Same here and I did just that! I have the grades but I need the placement!

Re: ANA/VN Question

Fleabee99 — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:40:46 GMT

hope this helps!

Re: ANA/VN Question

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 21:12:11 GMT

Hi, As nick said you need 5gcse or 5 standard grades dependant on where in the uk you live.

1 science, 1 english 1 maths and the other 2 dont matter.If you dont have maths they will accept 2 sciences as far as I am aware.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:51:25 GMT

Spud just look'd on the BVNA website and it says if you have the ANA qualifical plus key skills level 2 in Application of Number and Communication you can enroll as a SVN

Re: ANA/VN Question

Maisy — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:49:17 GMT

I thought it still does providing key skills are taken as well?

Re: ANA/VN Question

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:45:53 GMT

the ana course does no longer count as entry route to vet nursing any more. x x

Re: ANA/VN Question

Maisy — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:44:13 GMT

You will def need Key Skills maths if you've not got C or above in your GCSEs (or if they are over 5 years old I think too).

Personally I would stick at your current practice if you're happy there, especially if they will definitely put you through your VN training. Even if you go on to another practice there is no guarantee that you would start your training this year as many practices prefer to wait 6 months plus to ensure the student sticks it out. Plus there may be others in line to train before you so its not always a better solution. Incidentally, you will probably be asked to sign some sort of training agreement elsewhere too so the practice doesn't lose out by newly QVN's leaving soon after training.

Doing the ANA will only delay training for the NVQ by a year and that will fly by. The ANA is such a useful course that you will learn loads in preparation for first year.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:43:37 GMT

I would stay put! I'm 30 and I've just taken an ANA position with hopes to continue with the VN NVQ there in future. I think anything and any experience I get and can take in doing the ANA will benifit me in future and make me be the best VN i could possibly be. I would never think of taking short cuts personally, no matter how bad I wanted to get it over with. I think if I was feeling I needed to rush through anything or 'take the fast route' I would start to question why I was even training in the first place. I love the work, period. be it on the floor scrubbing poo, covered in fleas, following someone around and helping them do their job, helping save a live of a pet, being bitched at by an unhappy customer, hearing the same thing all the time with customers, getting bitten, cleaning non stop, nursing animals back to health, sitting and waiting for a anorexic cat or dog to eat, answering phones, making the tea...etc... etc...etc... I love the job, end of and I wouldn't want to rush it because at the end of the day I would rather be doing all of the above and more with animal people and animals then be stuck in an office job or working at tescos.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Nick Shackleton — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:31:22 GMT

hey there

You need 5 GCSE's in english, maths and Science (C grade or above). When I did my training. I did the ANA (pre-VN back then), It not only gains you access onto the NVQ VN course, but it also gives you basic training and understanding of what is required of veterinary nurses.

Re: ANA/VN Question

Anonymous — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 20:07:06 GMT

have always neeed maths. what people do is take the key skills maths. i think u can do it on the internet and it might even be free or very cheap.

what happends if u leave the practice before the alloted time? do u have to pay them back if so how much is the course?

traniee jobs are very hard to come by so it is a tough call.

hope some of this helps x x